Bugged: Ecuador reveals details on London Embassy surveillance

Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino shows a picture of a hidden spy microphone uncovered at the office of Ana Alban, the Ecuadorean ambassador to the United Kingdom, during a news conference in Quito, July 3, 2013 (Reuters / Gary Granja)

An image of the hidden microphone used to bug an office in Ecuador’s London embassy, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been living for over a year, was revealed by Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino during a press conference Wednesday.

Patino told reporters the recording device was found beneath a
desk in the office belonging to Ana Alban, the Ecuadorean
Ambassador to the United Kingdom, according to Reuters. Patino
said the microphone was discovered on June 16 before he visited
the embassy to meet with Assange, who lives and works in a
different room of the office. The British Foreign Office refused
to comment on the matter.

“I didn’t denounce this at the time because we didn’t want the
theme of our visit to London to be confused with this
matter,” Patino said in a press conference Wednesday.
“Furthermore, we first wanted to ascertain with precision what
could be the origin of this interception device in the office of
our ambassador.

“We are sorry to say so, but this is another instance of a
loss of ethics at the international level in relations between
governments.”

WikiLeaks tweeted a close-up image of the device, which Patino
said held a SIM card and was designed to transmit private
conversations from inside the embassy. The microphone is thought
to have been in place for weeks.

The British Foreign Office refused to comment and a spokesman for
Prime Minister David Cameron said he could not speak on security
issues.

Patino met with British Foreign Secretary William Hague on June
17 to discuss Ecuador’s decision to shelter Assange. The
WikiLeaks leader is facing an extradition request to Sweden,
where he is wanted for questioning in relation to allegations by
two women of sexual assault and rape.

If Assange travels outside the embassy he could also be
extradited to the United States, where he would likely be charged
in connection with releasing thousands of State Department cables
and documents regarding military activity in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Bradley Manning, who admitted disclosing the
information to WikiLeaks, is currently on trial and could be
sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

Patino was careful to note during the press conference that he
was not accusing the UK of placing the recording device, saying
Ecuador “is infiltrated from all sides.” It is not illegal
for one country to bug another, according to The Guardian.

Asked for the UK’s help in identifying the source, Patino said
Ecuadorean authorities “have reason to believe that the
bugging was carried out by the company, the Surveillance Group
Limited…one of the biggest private investigation and undercover
surveillance companies in the United Kingdom.”

The Foreign Minister added that Ecuador was still considering
Edward Snowden’s request for political asylum. United States law
enforcement is pursuing Snowden, and Vice President Joe Biden
previously asked Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa to deny
Snowden’s request.